“You have ears that hear everything, sergeant,” said Dick.  “What is this new movement that I’ve heard two or three men speak of?  Something sudden they say.”

“I’ve heard too,” replied Sergeant Whitley, “but I can’t guess it.  Whatever it is, though, it’s coming soon.  There’s a lot of work going on at a point farther down the line, but it’s kept a secret from the rest of us here.”

The sergeant went away presently, and Dick, going down stream, joined some other young officers in a pool.  He lay on the bank afterward, but, shortly after dark, Colonel Winchester returned, gave an order, and the whole regiment marched away in the dusk.  Dick felt sure that the event Sergeant Whitley had predicted was about to happen, but the colonel gave no hint of its nature, and he continued to wonder, as they advanced steadily in the dusk.

CHAPTER II

THE WOMAN AT THE HOUSE

The men marched on for a long time, and, after a while, they heard the hum of many voices and the restless movements that betokened the presence of numerous troops.  Dick, who had dismounted, walked forward a little distance with Colonel Winchester, and, in the moonlight, he was able to see that a large division of the army was gathered near, resting on its arms.  It was obvious that the important movement, of which he had been hearing so much, was at hand, but the colonel volunteered nothing concerning its nature.

The troops were allowed to lie down, and, with the calmness that comes of long experience, they soon fell asleep.  But the officers waited and watched, and Dick saw other regiments arriving.  Warner, who had pushed through some bushes, came back and said in a whisper: 

“I’ve seen a half-dozen great mounds of fresh earth.”

“Earth taken out to make a trench, no doubt,” said Dick.

But Warner shook his head.

“There’s too much of it,” he said, “and it’s been carried too far to the rear.  In my opinion extensive mining operations have been going on here.”

“For what?” asked Pennington.  “Not for silver or gold.  We’re no treasure hunters, and besides, there’s none here.”

Warner shook his head again.

“I don’t know,” he replied, “but I’m quite sure that it has something to do, perhaps all to do, with the movement now at hand.  To the right of us, regiments, including several of colored troops, are already forming in line of battle, and I’ve no doubt our turn will come before long.”

“We must be intending to make an attack,” said Dick, “but I don’t suppose we’ll move until day.”

He had learned long since that night attacks were very risky.  Friend was likely to fire into friend and the dusk and confusion invariably forbade victory.  But the faculties that create anxiety and alarm had been dulled for the time by immense exertions and dangers, and he placidly awaited the event, whatever it might be.